Machine for operating on shoes



v March 22,y 1938. F. c. EASTMAN MAHINE FOR OPERATING ON SHOES Filed June 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

/A/x/[A/ TUR #fw Q 8mm 2 Hvfhm March 22, 1938. F C EASTMAN 2,111,617

MACHINE FOR OPERATING ON SHOES Filed June 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

sa )0 O @Vf/vm@ Patented Mar. 22, 1938 UNTED STAT MACHINE FOR OPERATING ON SHOES- Application June 6, 1936, Serial No. 83,920

21 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to machines for operating on shoes, and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine having means for lasting a portion of a shoe and means for thereafter applying pressure and heat to the overlasted margin of the upper secured adhesively to an insole. The machine herein shown is constructed to operate in this manner upon a portion of the forepart of a shoe extending from the previously lasted toe portion substantially as far rearward- 1y as the beginning of the waist or shank portion. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to a machine which operates upon that particular portion of a shoe or to a machine which includes both lasting means and pressing means.

In accordance with one feature, the invention provides novel means for lasting by use of a flexible fluid container, i. e., a container having fluid therein and one wall, atleast, of which is flexibly conformable to the contour of the shoe. The machine hereinshown has means for moving a shoe and last heightwise to force the forepart of the shoe against the fluid container, and means for thereafter wrapping the container about portions of the shoe and last to conform the upper to the sides of the last and lay its margin inwardly over an insole on the last. Conveniently a member, herein shownk as a treadle, is utilized first to force the shoe against the container and then by further movement to operate the container as above described. The container, as herein illustrated, is controlled by members which are swung inwardly toward each other by the treadle to force it againstthe sides of the shoe and which have pivotally mounted thereon other members operative by swinging movements to force portions of the container inwardly over the bottom of the shoe.

In accordance with another feature, the invention provides a novel organization of lasting means and means for applying pressure and heat Vto the overlasted margin of the upper to eliminate any wrinkles in the margin and accelerate the setting of Vadhesive whereby the upper is secured to the insole. In the construction shown the portions of the fluid container which` are Vforced inwardly over the bottom of the shoe by the treadle are withdrawn from over the shoe in response to further movement of the treadle, after which, b-y still further movement of the treadle, a heated pressing device is moved into engagement with the margin of the upper.

The above and other features of the invention, including novel details of the pressing device and various other novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a view in left-hand side elevation of a machine in which the invention is embodied, with portions of the structure broken away;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows the upper-pressing device as viewed in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 1, with a portion of the structure broken away;

Fig. i is a view of the lasting means partly in rear elevation and partly in section, the shoe being shown in the position which it occupies after it has been forced against the uid container;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the parts as they appear after portions of the fluid container have been forced inwardly over the bottom of the shoe; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 5, but showing the parts as they appear after the pressing device has been moved into engagement with the overlasted margin of the upper. Y

The machine herein shown comprises a base casting 2 having an upwardly extending column 4 in the upper end of which is adjustably a clamped the depending shank portion 6 of a head casting t. The casting 8 is provided with a horizontal shelfV Ii) which serves to support a flexible fluid container I2. As herein illustrated this uid container comprises a rubber bag having a body of liquid, preferably water, permanently inclosed therein,.and it is arranged for use in lasting a portion of the forepart of a shoe extending from the previously lasted toe portion rearwardly as far as the previously lasted waist or shank portion. The upper wall of the intermediate portion of the bag is preferably molded in general conformity to the contour of the forepart of a last and shoe, especially in a direction lengthwise of the shoe, and the shelf l0 is suitably recessed to receive portions of the last and shoe extending downwardly below the level thereof when the shoe is in the lasting position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The last and shoe are mounted on a work support comprising a bell-crank lever It provided on one arm thereof with a pin i6 arranged to enter the usual spindle hole in the heel end of the last, the bell-crank lever being pivotally mounted on a horizontal pin l supported in a block 20. The

block 28 is adjustably mounted on a bar 22 which is pivoted at its rear end on a vertical pin 24 mounted in ears extending forwardly from the shank 6. The bar 22 is thus free to swing laterally with the bell-crank lever I4 to permit the foreparts of right and left shoes to be positioned in the best relation to the fluid container I2. The block 20 is adjustable along the bar 22 for shoes of different sizes and is held in adjusted position by a clamp screw 26.

The bell-crank lever I4 has a rearwardly extending arm 28 connected by a link 38 to a rearwardly extending arm 32 of a bell-crank lever 34 (Fig. 2) mounted on a pin 36 fast in an arm 38 on the column 4. This bell-crank lever has a depending arm 40 which carries -a roll 42 arranged to engage a cam plate 44 vertically movable in guideways on the front of the column 4. A spring 46 connected to the arm 32 maintains the bellcrank lever I4 initially in the shoe-receiving position in which it is shown in Fig. l, in which position of the lever a last and shoe may readily be mounted on the pin I6. The cam plate 44 has thereon a cam 48 which, as the cam plate is moved downwardly, acts to swing the bell-crank lever 34 about the pin 36 and thus through the link 30 to swing the bell-crank lever I4 in the direction to carry the forepart of the shoe downw-ardly and force it against the uid container I2, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l and as shown in Fig. 4. For thus moving the plate 44 downwardly there is provided a treadle 5B pivoted at its rear end to a lug on the casting 2 and connected to the plate 44 by a link 52. The treadle 50 is raised by a spring 54 which maintains the plate 44 initially in a position determined by engagement of the treadle with a shoulder 56 on the casting 2. With the plate in this position its cam 48 is immediately above the roll 42, so that the shoe is swung to force its forepart against the fluid container as the plate begins its downward movement. Above that portion of the cam 48 which engages the roll 42 the plate 44 has a forward projection provided with a roll-engaging face 58 in the same vertical plane extending from right to left as the peak of the cam, so that after the shoe has been swung against the fluid container it is held stationary in that position during further downward movement of the plate 44.

By reference to Fig. 4 it will be evident that in so far as the portions of the upper engaged by the fluid container I2 have not already been conformed to the contour of the top face of the last by the previous lasting of the toe and shank portions of the shoe, they are so conformed by the pressure of the container thereon as the forepart of the shoe is depressed by the action of the treadle in the manner above described. For further conforming the upper to the sides of the last the fluid container is operated upon by plates 60 which are mounted for swinging movements inwardly toward each other and toward the sides of the shoe on pivot studs 62 threaded in ears on the table I8. By such swinging movements of the plates 60 portions of the cont-ainer are forced inwardly against the sides of the shoe. Pivotally mounted on studs 64 threaded in ears at the upper ends ofY the plates 60 are other plates 68 which by swinging relatively to the plates 60 force portions of the fluid container inwardly over the bottom of the last to lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last. In these operations the container is partially confined by triangular anges 68 extending inward- 1y toward each other from the plates 68 and by similar flanges I8 extending from the plates 66.

Inward swinging movements are imparted to the plates Si] by the cam 48 as the cam plate 44 is moved farther downwardly by the treadle 58 after the shoe has been forced against the fiuid container. For this purpose there is provided a bell-crank lever 72 mounted on a pin '4 fast in an arm 'I6 on the column 4, this bell-crank lever having a depending arm i8 carrying a roll 88 in the path of the cam 48 somewhat lower than the roll 42 of the arm 48. The bell-crank lever 'i2 has also a rearwardly extending arm 82 connected by a coupling 84 to the lower ends of two links 86 the upper ends of which are connected to the inner corners of the anges 68 on the plates 68. The swinging of the plates 66 relatively to the plates 66 is effected in response to the swinging of the plates 68 through the action of links 88 which are pivotally connected at their lower ends to the table I D and at their upper ends to the inner corners of the flanges 'I8 on the plates 66. The swinging movements of the plates 88 and oi the plates 66 are effected against the resistance of springs 90 connected to ears on the table IO and to ears on the plates 66, and these springs act to return the plates to their initial positions when permitted by the cam 48. Such return oi the plates occurs as the cam 48 passes beyond the roll 88, thus permitting the flexible container I2 through its resiliency to withdraw from over the overlaid margin of the upper and thereby make way for a device whereby pressure and heat are applied to the overlaid margin, as will now be described.

The pressing device, shown in Figs. l and 3, comprises two metallic pressing members or blocks 92 for engaging the margin of the upper respectively along the opposite sides of the forepart of the shoe bottom. Upwardly extending ears on these blocks are pivotally mounted on a pin 94 carried by a yoke 96 which has a cylindrical shank 98 mounted in a bore in an arm 86. The arm is mounted for swinging movements in directions heightwise of the shoe on a pin |82 extending laterally of the shoe and supported by an upwardly extending arm I04 of the head casting 8. The blocks 92 are maintained in a heated condition by electrical heating units Il therein to which electrical current is conducted through wires mounted in flexible cables M8 leading from a control box H8. The blocks are carried into engagement with the margin of the upper by downward swinging movement of the arm Il, and upon engagement with 'the shoe they may adjust themselves to the shoe by turning as a unit with the yoke 98 and its shank 88 about the axis of the shank and by turning each independently of the other about the pin 94. Turning or' the yoke 86 when the blocks 92 are in their idle positions is limited by a stud Ill which is threaded in the shank 98 and extends through a slot H2 (Fig. 3) in the arm |08.

Downward swinging movement of the arm i60 to apply the pressing device to the shoe is effected by continued downward movement of the cam plate 44 as the cam 48 passes beyond the roll 88 and thereby permits the withdrawal of the fluid container from over the shoe bottom as above described. For thus operating the arm E88 there is provided a bell-crank lever I I4 (Fig. 2) mounted on the pin 36 and having a depending arm I I6 provided with a roll II8 in the path of the cam 48. A rearwardly extending arm I20 of this bellcrank lever is connected by a link 22 to the arm |00 and is held initially in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, with the pressing device in its idle upraised position, by a spring |24. Y

In the upward return movement of the cam plate 44 it is desirable to prevent the cam 48 from again operating the bell-crank lever 'l2 to force the iluid container inwardly over the shoe bottom. For this purpose the depending arm 18 of this bell-crank lever is pivotally connected to the rest of the lever by a pin |26, and a laterally inclined face |28 on the cam 48 acts on the roll B0 in the upward movement of the cam plate to swing the arm 18 to the left and thereby remove the roll from the path of the cam. When the cam passes upwardly beyond the roll 3D the arm 'I8 is returned to its normal position by a spring connected to a pin on the arm and to another pin on the portion ofthe bell-crank lever 12 on which the arm is mounted, the movement of the arm by the spring being limited by engagement of a shoulderY on the arm with a shoulder on that portion of the bell-crank lever.

In the operation of the machine, the operator mounts a last and shoe on the pin I6 in the position indicated in Fig. 1 and then begins to depress the treadle to impart downward movement to the cam 48. The cam first acts on the bell-crank lever 34 to swing the forepart of the shoe downwardly against the fluid container l2 so that the container presses the upper into conformity to the top of the forepart ofthe last, as illustrated in Fig. 4. In further movement of the treadle the cam acts on the bell-crank lever 12 to impart inward swinging movements to the plates 6|! and 66 and thereby to force portions'of the fluid container inwardly against the sides of the shoe and inwardly over the shoe bottom to lay the margin of the upper over the insole, as illustrated in Fig. 5. Before depressing the treadle far enough to force the container inwardly over the shoe bottom the operator may use hand pincers to pull the upper more tightly about the last at the opposite sides of the forepart, and he may also apply a suitable adhesive, for example rubber latex, to the margins of the upper materials and to the insole if adhesive has not already been applied. It will be understood that as portions of the fluid container are forced inwardly over the shoe bottom the margins of the dfferent layers of the upper materials are pressed into adhering relation to each other and the margin of the inner layer is pressed into adhering relation to the insole. In response to further movement of the treadle thereafter the cam 48 releases the plates El! and B6 to permit them to wrinkles therein as well as to render the heat effective to accelerate the setting of the adhesive.,V

It will be understood that the operator may hold the blocks 92 in pressure-applying relation to the margin of the upper as long as desired, although ordinarily contact of the blocks with the margin of the upper need be maintained for no more than a few seconds for the purposes in view. The op-V erator then releases the treadle 5S to permit the pressingdevice to be returned to its starting por sition and the shoe to be swung; away from the Y fluid container by its support |4. In the upward return movement of the cam plate 4Q the plates lill and remain in their idle positions by reason of the action of the incline |28 of the cam |33 on the arm 18, as hereinabove explained.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for operating on shoes, a flexible fluid container for conforming a shoe upper to thecontour of a last, means for moving a shoe and last heightwise to force the shoe against said fluid container,- and'means for forcing portions of said fluid container while expanded by fluid therein inwardly over the bottom of the last by pressure applied exteriorly to the container to lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last in lasted relation to the insole.

2. In a machine for operating on shoes, a flexn ible fluid container for conforming a shoe upper to the contour of a last, a member movable by the operator to effect relative movement of said fluid container and a shoe and last in a direction heightwise of the last to cause the container to press the upper against the last, and mechanism arranged to be operated also by said member to force portions of said fluid container while expanded by fluid therein inwardly over the bottom of the last by pressure on the exterior of the container to lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last in lasted relation to the insole.

3. In a machine for operating on shoes, a flexible fluid container for conforming a shoe upper to the contour of a last, a treadle movable by the operator to impart to a shoe and last heightwise movement to force the shoe against said iluid container, and mechanism arranged to be operated by further movement of said treadle to force portions of said fluid container while expanded by fluid therein inwardly over the bottom of the lastiby pressure on the exterior of the container to lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last in lasted relation to the insole.

4. In a machine for operating on shoes, a flexible iluid container lor conforming the forepart of a shoe upper to the contour of a last, a last and shoe'support mounted to swing about an axis extending laterally of a shoe thereon, means for swinging said support to force the forepart of the shoe against said fluid container, and means for forcing portions of the fluid container while expanded by fluid therein inwardly over the bottom of the last by pressure applied eX- teriorly to the container to lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last in lasted relatien to the insole.

5. In a machine for operating on shoes, a flexible fluid container for conforming the forepart of a shoe upper to the contour of a last, a last and shoe support mounted to swing about an axis extending laterally of a shoe thereon, a treadle for swinging said support to force the forepart of the shoe against said uid container, and mechanism arranged to be operated by `further movement of said treadle to force portions of the fluid contain-er inwardly over the bottom of the last and thereby lay the margin of the upper over an insole on Ythe. last.

6. In a machine for operating on shoes, a flexible fluid container or conforming a shoe upper to the contour of a last, means for moving a shoe and last heightwise to force the shoe against said fluid container, and members movable inwardly toward each other to force portions of the fluid container while expanded by uid therein toward sol the last to conform the upper to the sides of the last and lay its margin over an insole on the last in lasted relation to the insole.

7. In a machine for operating on shoes, a ilexible fluid container for conforming a shoe upper to the contour of a last, a last and shoe support movable to force a shoe thereon against said fluid container, members movable inwardly toward each other to force portions of the fluid container over the bottom of the last and thereby lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last, a lever connected to said last and shoe support, another lever connected to said members, and a cam movable to operate said levers in succession.

8. In a machine for operating on shoes, a flexible uid container having a body of liquid permanently inclosed therein, and means for wrapping said fluid container about portions of a shoe and last by pressure applied to the exterior of the container to conform the shoe upper to the contour of the last and lay its margin over an insole on the last in lasted relation to the insole.

9. In a machine for operating on shoes, a flexible iluid container having a body of liquid permanently inclosed therein, means for forcing the forepart of a shoe and last against said container, and means for wrapping the container about portions of the shoe and last to lay the margin of the shoe upper inwardly over an insole on the last.

l0. In a machine for operating on shoes, a iiexible fluid container for conforming a shoe upper to the contour of a last, members movable inwardly toward each other to force the fluid container against an upper at the sides of a last, and other members movable relatively to said rstnamed members to force portions of the container inwardly over the bottom of the last and thereby lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last.

ll. In a machine for operating on shoes, a ilexible fluid container for conforming a shoe upper to the contour of a last, members mounted to swing inwardly toward each other to force the iluid container against an upper at the sides of a last, and other members mounted on Said firstnamed members for swinging movements to force portions of the container inwardly over the bottom of the last and thereby lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last.

l2. In a machine for operating on shoes, a flexible uid container for conforming a shoe upper to the contour of a last, members movable inwardly toward each other to force the Huid container against an upper at the sides of a last, other members mounted on said first-named members for swinging movements to force portions of the container inwardly over the bottom of the last and thereby lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last, and means for imparting to said last-named members their swinging movements in response to the movements of the rst-named members.

13. In a machine for operating on shoes, a flexible fluid container for conforming a shoe upper to the contour of a last, members mounted to swing inwardly toward each other to force the fluid container against an upper at the sides of a last, means for thus swinging said members, other members mounted on said first-named members for swinging movements to force portions of the container inwardly over the bottom of the last and thereby lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last, and links connected to said last-name-d members for swinging them in response to the swinging movements of the firstnamed members.

14. In a machine for operating on shoes, a ilexible fluid container having a body of liquid permanently inclosed therein and arranged to extend across the top of the forepart of a shoe and last, members mounted to swing inwardly toward each other to force the fluid container against the upper at the sides of the last, and other members mounted on said first-named members for swinging movements to force portions of the container inwardly over the bottom of the last and thereby lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last.

15. In a machine for operating on shoes, a flexible fluid container for conforming a shoe upper to the contour of a last and for laying the margin of the upper inwardly over an insole on the last, and a device arranged to apply pressure and heat to the overlaid margin of the upper while the shoe is in the position in which it was operated upon by the iluid container.

16. In a machine for operating on shoes, a ilexible fluid container for conforming a shoe upper to the contour of a last, means movable to force portions cf said fluid container inwardly over the bottom of the last to lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last and thereafter reversely movable to cause the container to withdraw from over the margin of the upper, and a device movable to apply pressure and heat to the overlaid margin of the upper after the withdrawal of the container.

17. In a machine for operating on shoes, a flexible fluid container for conforming a shoe upper to the contour of a last, a member movable by the operator to force portions of said iluid container inwardly over the bottom of the last to lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last, means to cause the iluid container to withdraw from over the margin of the upper upon further movement of said member, a device for applying pressure and heat to the overlaid margin of the upper, and means for moving said device into engagement with the margin of the upper in response to still further movement of said member.

18. In a machine for operating on shoes, a ilexible iluid container for conforming a shoe upper to the contour of a last, a treadle movable by the operator to impart to a shoe and last height- Wise movement to force the shoe against said fluid container, mechanism arranged to be operated by further movement of said treadle to force portions of said fluid container inwardly over the bottom of the last and thereby lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last, a device for applying pressure and heat to the overlaid margin of the upper, and means for moving said device into engagement with the margin of the upper in response to still further movement of the treadle.

19. In a machine for operating on shoes, a ilexible fluid container for conforming a shoe upper to the contour of a last, mechanism for forcing portions of said fluid container inwardly over the bottom of the last to lay the margin of the upper over an insole on the last, a cam movable to operate said mechanism, means to cause the fluid container to withdraw from over the margin of the upper upon further movement of said cam, a device for applying pressure and heat to the overlaid margin of the upper, and means for moving said device into engagement with the margin of the upper in response to still further movement of the cam.

20. In a machine for operating on shoes, means for laying the margin of a shoe upper inwardly over an nsoleron a last, a member movable to operate said overlaying means, a device for applying pressure and heat to the overlaid margin of the upper, and means for moving said device heightwise of the shoe into engagement with the margin of the upper n response to further movement of said member.

21. In a machine for operating o`n shoes, means for laying the margin of a shoe upper inwardly 'over an insole on a last, a cam movable to operate said overlaying means, means to cause the overlaying means to Withdraw from over the margin of the upper upon further movement of said cam, a device for applying pressure and heat tothe overlaid margin of the upper, and means for moving said device heightwise of the shoe into en-V FRED C. EASTMAN. 

